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Eight Immigration officers will travel overseas this week on exchange programmes.
Chief Immigration Officer, Mr Ng Sze-wah and acting Chief Immigration Officer, Mr Mak Ying-ki will leave for France tomorrow (April 14) and six Immigration Officers - Miss Law Shuk-ha, Mr Kan Wang-cheuk, Miss Choy Man-yin, Miss Lam Pui-ling, Mr Leung Chi-wah and Mr Ng Tsz-wai - will leave for the Republic of Korea on Sunday (April 15). The Director of Immigration, Mr Lai Tung-kwok spoke with the officers.
The objective of the programmes is to share work experience and strengthen the co-operation between the authorities concerned in combating the use of forged documentation and irregular migration.
During their programme in France, the two officers will visit various immigration offices, including the Central Office for the Repression of Irregular Immigration and the Employment of Foreigners, and the office responsible for handling matters relating to refugees. They will also spend time with the French Immigration at the Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport.
The other six officers will visit the immigration offices at Seoul, Busan and Incheon Airport in Korea. They will also attend a week of seminars on Immigration Service affairs arranged by the Korean authorities.
Under the exchange programmes, officers from the Korean Immigration and French Police attended exchange study programmes in Hong Kong in October and December, 2006 respectively, hosted by the Immigration Department.
Mr Lai said that in view of the growing complexity of immigration work, members of the service needed to be more vigilant. He expected the study visits would enhance staff quality and provide a good opportunity for the officers to gain a better understanding of the work of overseas Immigration authorities.
Ends/Friday, April 13, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:34
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